CRITICAL LENS CLOSE READING 2: Ow My Feelings

"Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so than to hide a guilty heart through life (3.26)"

Dimmesdale is telling Hester to reveal the name of the child dad, in front of a crowd of people, because he's just a bad guy I guess. But in his speech, he talks about how it's better for the dad to be revealed and share in the shame for adultery. Of course, we find out later in the book that he was dad all along, and should have been played by Bruce Willis in the movie because of how much twist that twist had. 

This can be interpreted as him trying to justify himself in his shame, as he continues to be all mopey about how he was dad throughout the book. If Hester reveals him as Mr. Dad, then he thinks he might be able to be chill about it like she is. But Hester's a nice girl who doesn't need no dad, so she doesn't say anything.

Also, earlier in the chapter, Hester's husband shows up, meaning that the child has a second chance at dad. But because of the shame theme they have to hide his identity so he's stuck being not dad. The child had two chances at dad and both ended with not dad. Now she has zero dad. She's double de-dad-ed and left woefully dadless. That's not really relevant at all, but I thought it was sort of funny.